Renault Fluence to launch in autumn 2011

Renault's mid-range electric saloon, the Fluence, will launch at the end of next year in the UK with a price tag expected to sit between £20,000 and £25,000.

However, this projected price takes in the £5,000 Government electric car grant, and will not include the battery, which Renault is intending to lease to owners. A spokesman for the company said that this is to reassure those customers that are willing to be early adopters of the battery technology. However, the battery leasing is not expected to be cheap, with the spokesman saying the monthly costs will be comparable to those for fuelling an internal combustion engine. Renault is also likely to lease the car itself through the financial arm of its own company.